UNM ATHLETICS
Best for last: UNM's Habtom Samuel uses unusual strategy to claim second NCAA 10k title
The Keren, Eritrea native took himself out of the late before surging to another outdoor championship
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Everything was going right for Habtom Samuel.
Nineteen laps into Wednesday night鈥檚 men鈥檚 10,000-meter final, New Mexico鈥檚 star junior had spent the vast majority of the race in the lead. He was dictating the pace. Stretching the field. Making it look easy.
Then he slowed down 鈥� a lot.
If Samuel didn鈥檛 exactly wave runners past him, he more than gave them the green light to take the lead and try dictating themselves, an opportunity they hesitantly took him up on.
鈥淚 know it was risky,鈥� Samuel admitted in a postrace interview with ESPN, 鈥渂ut I鈥檓 really glad it worked out.鈥�
That it did.
After taking a risk most runners wouldn鈥檛 even think about, Samuel surged over the final two laps to finish Wednesday鈥檚 final in 27 minutes and 51.31 seconds to claim his second NCAA 10K title.
The Keren, Eritrea native bested NCAA leader Louisville鈥檚 Elsingi Kipruto (27:54.04) over the final 100 meters to add another title to one of the finest years for any athlete in school history.
Arkansas鈥� Ernest Cheruiyot (27:58.62) finished third while Oklahoma State鈥檚 Denis Kipngetich (28:02.24) and Alabama鈥檚 Dismus Lokira (28:08.49) rounded out the top five.
UNM鈥檚 Evans Kiplagat placed 24th overall, earning All-American honorable mention for the Lobos.
With Wednesday鈥檚 win, Samuel completed a rare distance triple crown in the same academic year, claiming an NCAA individual cross country national championship in November; an indoor 5K national championship in March; and the outdoor 10K title, his second after previously winning in 2024.
A Lobo has now won the last three NCAA men鈥檚 10K titles 鈥� Samuel twice and former UNM runner and NCAA record holder Ishmael Kipkurui, who narrowly claimed the title last year with a 29:07.70 finish.
Racing as one of the favorites in Wednesday鈥檚 final, Samuel led from the jump and held his runners to a blistering pace before lightening up three laps in. Kipruto 鈥� who ran an NCAA-best 27:29.83 in April 鈥� stayed right behind him for nearly the entire opening 20 laps until Samuel decided to slow with six left.
鈥淚 had to just get some energy, save some energy for the bell lap,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 said, 鈥榥o, I鈥檓 not gonna take (these) guys on my shoulder until the last lap. (I wanted) to get a little (recovery), wait for the other group to join and get some help.
鈥淎nd, yeah 鈥� kick hard the last 800 (meters).鈥�
After creating chaos up front, the gambit worked. Samuel and Kipruto broke away for the final lap, guaranteeing a late foot race. The latter passed Samuel with under 300 meters to go before UNM鈥檚 junior, well-known for strong finishes, kicked to a long-awaited second outdoor title.
The only question: Why didn鈥檛 Samuel bury the field when he was ahead?
鈥淵eah, that鈥檚 a good idea,鈥� he chuckled. 鈥淏ut sometimes it's hard.鈥�
Samuel will race next in Friday鈥檚 men鈥檚 5K final, where he is the clear undisputed favorite after setting a new NCAA record (13:03.47) in the event at the Bryan Clay Invitational in April.
Around the track
UNM鈥檚 Matthew Endr枚dy concluded his season with a 3:38.26 finish in the men鈥檚 1,500 semifinals, good for 10th overall, and did not advance to Friday鈥檚 national final.
Sean Reider covers college football and other sports for the Journal. You can reach him at sreider@abqjournal.com or via X at .
